Should I Use Peat Moss in my Garden?

By Victoria Fuller

When picking mulch or fertilizer for your garden, there are various choices, each with pros and cons. Today, we'll focus on Peat Moss and its benefits for your garden. Whether you are gardening in a Raised Garden bed, Planter Box, individual containers, or the ground, this fantastic additive is certain to improve the quality of your soil, plants, and overall gardening experience. Now let's dig in!

How about some Peat Moss Facts!

Peat Moss is a type of dense soil-amendment (a material to be mixed into soil to help improve plant growth) that is often used as a planting medium for growing plants.

Peat Moss forms dense clumps on the banks of ponds, in bogs and swamps, on moist cliff sides, and on the shores of lakes in both subpolar and tropical region. In other words it is incredibly resilient and found worldwide!

Gardeners usually harvest this Moss once it reaches around 1000 years old, now that's dedication to gardening! However, it has only been used in modern gardening and horticulture for the past 100 years so it is still considered a newcomer in the world of gardening.

Perks & Uses

• Gardeners commonly use this additive to enhance soil nutrition and increase soil acidity. These factors are essential for the growth of specific plants. It helps to loosen and aerate heavy soils (such as chalk and clay soils).
• Contrary to popular belief it does not ruin the fertility of your soil, it simply changes its composition! 
• Peat Moss is used in gardening to improve soil texture, nutrients, and water retention in containers and raised beds.
• This Moss can be a beautiful feature in its own right, some people devote entire garden beds to Moss arrangements! Adding it to your raised garden bed can add a beautiful pop of colour and texture to your garden!

Absorption

Sometimes called "nature's other sponge," it is famous for its incredible water-retaining abilities. Peat Moss consists of fibrous organic matter that can hold up to twenty times its own weight in water! This makes it a fantastic option for those gardening with sandy soils that may not get as much rainfall as other areas! 

Cedar Planters Raised Garden Beds and Planter Boxes have a built in drainage system which solves the problem of over-watering, but it also makes Peat Moss a perfect addition to your garden if you are looking to cultivate plants that would ideally prefer to hang on to as much moisture as possible!

Plants that LOVE Peat Moss

Plants that like acidic soil will benefit from adding this to their growing conditions. On the flip side of this, if you know that the plants you are hoping to grow would thrive in an Alkaline-heavy soil then Peat Moss will not help them to reach their goals! The following plants will be thankful to have some Peat Moss added to their beds:

Acid Loving Plants

Peat Moss is great for plants that like acidic soil, such as cereals, fruits, vegetables, and flowers. It has a low pH level and is an ideal addition to their environment. Here are some examples of plants that would love these conditions:

• Blueberries
• Camellias
• Azaleas
• Tomatoes
• Heathers

Tropical Plants

Peat Moss helps to replicate a similar growing environment to where tropical plants would typically thrive and grow. Here are some examples of plants who love this soil additive:

• Ficus
• Orchids
• Anthurium
• Pothos
• Pachira
• Beaucarnea

Many florists will also include this Moss in their indoor houseplant displays not only for its fantastic water-retention abilities but because it is also aesthetically pleasing! Green Shack has a fantastic article with further information on uses for your Peat Moss!

Raised Garden Beds

Peat Moss is a fantastic option for raised gardens or planters. It adds nutrients and keeps soil moist. Please feel free to let us know in the comments below of the experience that you have had using Peat Moss in your garden!